Caitlin's Secrets
by robertwnielsen
Summary: What happened after the episode Kingdom Come? Did Caitlin's short-lived relationship with Ken Sawyer have consequences? And what will those consequences do to her friendship with String?


_Caitlin's Secrets_

_Disclaimer—_Don't own anything, except the idea.

_Summary—_What happened after _Kingdom Come?_ Did Caitlin's short-lived relationship with Ken Sawyer have consequences? And what will those consequences do to her friendship with String?

A/N #1—This is an original story, set around three months after the events of _Kingdom Come,_ and focusing on a possible set of consequences. The character of Dr. Angela Robertson is mentioned in Chapter 10 of _What Now?, _and the character of Judge Ronald Clevenger is from my _Class Reunion _storyline, among others. Enjoy!-robertwnielsen

_Oh—my—GOD!_ Caitlin O'Shannessy thought anxiously, suddenly feeling a rush of terror combined with nausea. She couldn't believe what she saw when she looked at the stick in her hand—but there it was. The small stick was making her nauseous—_for more reasons than one,_ she said to herself as she walked back out of the small bathroom at the hangar, shoving the offensive piece of plastic into the pocket of her jeans. Fortunately for her, Dom and String were off doing a shoot, so she quickly dashed into the office and made a phone call to Kensington General Hospital. A few moments later, she had dashed a note off and left it on Dom's desk, heading out the door to her car and leaving the hangar moments later.

As she drove, Caitlin found herself wrestling with the consequences of what she'd found. _This—this can't be happening,_ she thought angrily. _I was only with him that one time, and I thought he—that is, I thought we—oh, God! _She couldn't finish her thought, but if what she feared was true, she was afraid that neither Dom nor Hawke would want anything to do with her ever again. Fighting back a wave of tears, she continued driving towards the hospital._ But,_ she thought, _if that test was right, it does explain why I've been feelin' so, off, these past few weeks. And, why I've been snapping at Dom, and especially at String. I, I owe both of them an apology, no matter what the doctor tells me,_ she decided as she pulled into the hospital parking lot and, after turning off the car's engine, gathered her things to walk inside.

"Dom? Where's Cait?" Stringfellow Hawke asked.

"Good question, String," Dominic Santini replied as they pulled up to the hangar after finishing the shoot. Normally, Caitlin O'Shannessy would be standing outside the hangar waiting for them, but today, she was nowhere to be found. Hawke quickly parked the Jeep, and he and Dom climbed out and walked into the hangar.

"Cait? Caitlin?" Dom called out, but got no response. He and Hawke walked around the hangar, but found no sign of Caitlin anywhere.

"She's not here," String said, suddenly worried. Just then, Dom came out of the office holding a piece of paper.

"I found this on the desk," Dom said, handing the paper to Hawke.

_Guys,_

_Sorry to bug out like this, but somethin' came up. I may not be back today, either. It depends on what I find out. I promise—I'll explain everything later._

_Caitlin_

"What on Earth do you suppose that's about, Dom?" Hawke asked, worried.

"I dunno, String," Dom replied. "Guess we just wait and find out what happens, huh?"

"I guess so," Hawke replied, suddenly worried about his friend. _I sure hope nothing's happened to her,_ Hawke thought, remembering the last time he'd expected to find her at the hangar, but she wasn't there. _When Sawyer kidnapped her. I just hope this isn't anything like that, _he thought worriedly.

**Meanwhile...**

"No!" Caitlin insisted. "This—this can't be!"

"Caitlin," Dr. Angela Robertson said, "it's confirmed. You're almost eleven weeks pregnant. I—I take it this wasn't a planned pregnancy?"

"No," Caitlin sighed, remembering the night she'd spent with Ken Sawyer, just before he kidnapped her. "This wasn't even a planned _relationship._ Actually, it's not even a relationship—because the man I slept with—the baby's father—is dead."

"_Dead?"_ Dr. Robertson repeated, aghast. "Something tells me I _don't want to know._"

"You're right, Doctor," Caitlin replied, wiping angry tears out of her eyes. "You don't want to know." _And I don't really want to explain it, either,_ she thought angrily. _If I was at Foxbridge, I wouldn't have a problem, but I'm afraid I wouldn't want to explain Airwolf, or Sawyer, to you, Doc._

"Well," Dr. Robertson said, suddenly worried, "there are options, you know. I'd be happy to—"she stopped as Caitlin suddenly glared angrily at her.

"_No!"_ Caitlin said, anticipating what the doctor was going to tell her. "I—I mean, I'm not sure what I want to do at this point."

"What about that guy you work with—the one I've seen in here a couple of times with you. Hawke, I think his name is?" Dr. Robertson asked, recalling seeing Stringfellow Hawke around the hospital a couple of times. "Would he—"Caitlin's jaw dropped in shock at what she thought Dr. Robertson might be insinuating.

"I—I dunno, Doctor," Caitlin replied nervously. "I mean, Hawke's a good friend and all that, but he's never talked about really settling down, especially with me. And I can't dump this on him." _'Cause if I did, he'd turn tail and run back to that cabin of his faster than Airwolf can accelerate to Mach 1,_ Cait thought. _'Course if he did that, I'd just have to follow hi__m to straighten him out. __Heck, I'd follow Stringfellow Hawke to the ends of the Earth, if that's what it'd take to straighten his fool head out about me. __Because__ I'd like nothin' better than for him to __help me raise my baby__—as my husband._

"I understand, Caitlin," Dr. Robertson replied, smiling. "But you're going to need to confide in _someone,_ at some time. _Soon,_" she said glancing down to Caitlin's belly. Caitlin followed Dr Robertson's eyes down and saw a small baby bump already showing. Dr. Robertson laid a comforting hand on Caitlin's shoulder and smiled at her, then walked out of the examination room to let Caitlin get dressed.

_Pregnant? I—I don't believe it._ But the evidence was there in front of her—Dr. Robertson had left the test results, along with a series of pamphlets on nutrition and other things that Caitlin would need to know as the pregnancy progressed—and, Caitlin could clearly see the baby bump when she looked in the mirror there in the examination room. _Guess I can't argue with what I see right in front of me,_ she thought, realizing how she'd dismissed the bump as just weight gain brought on by eating too much junk food. _Well, now I know why I've been eating all that junk, and feeling so out of sorts these past few weeks—months, actually._ She quickly dressed, gathered up the papers and her other belongings, then checked out with the nurse at the front desk and got ready to head for home. She quickly went to her car, sitting inside and crying for several long minutes before she felt like she could drive home safely.

By the time she got back to her apartment, Caitlin was in tears again. _Damn you, Sawyer!_ She thought angrily. Then she added, _and damn me too, for bein' so stupid as to fall for him and his lies! Now I'm stuck carrying his baby!_

She knew what Dr. Robertson had meant when she mentioned "options." One, Caitlin seriously thought about, but she knew that the other 'option' was totally out of the question. _Even if I wasn't Roman Catholic,_ _I—I could never do that. _She remembered that day a few months ago, when she ran lines for her acting class with Dom—

"_If he won't accept his responsibility, then he just doesn't exist for me anymore! And **I don't care **what you say! I'm gonna have this baby, and I'm gonna raise it alone!_"

_How little did I know,_ Caitlin thought sadly as she got ready to go to sleep that night. Before she went to bed, she glanced at herself in the mirror, focusing again on the small baby bump that was already there. _God in Heaven. Hawke and Dom—they can't see this_. _I'll—I'll just have to stay away from work for a while, until I can figure out what I'm gonna do._

**T****hree**** Days Later...**

"Dom, I'm worried," Hawke said. "Cait hasn't been around, hasn't even called for three days!"

"I know," Dom replied, frustrated. "You think somethin' happened to her?"

"I dunno, Dom," Hawke said, heading out to his motorcycle, "but if you don't mind—" He hesitated when he reached his motorcycle, and Dom smiled at him.

"_Go,"_ Dom said. "I'm worried about Cait, too, y'know. Toni and I'll hold the fort around here for ya." Toni Donatelli, Dom's new top assistant stunt pilot, was working on one of the helicopters, and didn't hear the conversation between String and Dom.

"Okay, Dom," Hawke said as he climbed onto his motorcycle and fired it up. "And thanks. I'll—I'll let you know what happens."

"You better," Dom said, smiling at String. "Now, _Go!__" _Dom said again. He watched String roar off in the direction of Cait's apartment, and his imagination got the better of him. Dom couldn't help but remember what had happened just a few months ago, when he and Caitlin were discussing rescuing Hawke from John Bradford Horn.

"_We gotta get the Lady!" Caitlin insisted._

"_Not 'we,' **me!** The instructions say **'me!'"**_ _Dom snapped. Hawke's instructions had been specific—Dom was to deliver Airwolf, alone, to Horn, and then Hawke would be released._

"_Dom, don't do that to me," Caitlin said, her voice near the breaking point. "I care about him too, y'know. Probably **more than you know."**_

_I never really did ask her about that,_ Dom thought. _But there was somethin' about the sound of her voice that day—somethin' that said that she loved String, as a lot more than just a friend. If he'd only pull his head out of his rear end and acknowledge how she feels about him—and how I think he feels about her._ Sighing, Dom turned and walked back into the hangar, wondering what was going on that was keeping Caitlin away from the hangar. _I sure hope it's nothin' too serious,_ he thought anxiously. _I just can't understand why she hasn't even called in three days. That's why I'm worried. Well, maybe String'll be able to figure out what's goin' on,_ Dom thought. _I sure as hell hope so. 'Cause if Cait doesn't come back, that'd just, kill String._

Toni came up at that moment. "Where'd String go, Dom?"

"To find out where Cait's been, and what the heck's going on with her," Dom said. "I'm worried about her, y'know."

"I know, Dom," Toni said, smiling at her friend. "I've gotten the impression that you care a lot about Caitlin, and so does Hawke, in his own way. And I _know _Cait cares about Hawke—she once told me so. But don't worry. I'm sure everything's fine."

Dom stared in the direction Hawke had taken on his motorcycle. "I sure hope so, Toni. I sure hope so." He sighed as they went back to work. _Even Toni can see Hawke cares about Cait—__and vice-versa—_Dom thought. _I just wish to hell he did._

As Hawke pulled his motorcycle up to Caitlin's apartment building, he started wondering what he would say, and how he would broach the subject of where Caitlin had been for the past three days. _I—I guess I'll just have to ask her direct,_ Hawke thought anxiously. He took a few deep breaths to calm his racing nerves, then walked towards Caitlin's apartment building. _I should've brought flowers or somethin'. Something I could hide behind. But, it's too late now. _Hawke took a deep breath to calm his nerves again, then began tapping gently on Cait's apartment door.

Inside her apartment, Caitlin sat on the couch in the living room, wondering what the hell she was going to do. _I—I can't go back to Texas now,_ she thought sadly. _Mom would have a fit if I told her I was pregnant and not married—not to mention that I don't even wanna think about tryin' to explain what I was doin' with that bastard Sawyer to her. I guess—I guess I'll just have to do what I told String I'd do after Robert got killed._

"_I'm gonna get on a plane, and I'm just gonna keep on goin' till the money runs out! Then I'm gonna walk! I'm never gonna stop long enough to get involved with anybody!" _Caitlin had said. _I wish to hell I'd done it, too,_ she said to herself angrily. _Then I never woulda met Sawyer—and I wouldn't be carrying his baby!_ _And most important, I wouldn't be stuck in love with Stringfellow Hawke, and frustrated as all get out because he refuses to love me back! _She was so deeply engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the gentle tapping on the front door at first.

String stood outside, gently knocking on the front door. When he didn't get a response, he knocked a little louder and said, "Cait? Are you in there? It's me. It's me, String!"

"_Cait? Are you in there? It's me. It's me, String!"_ Caitlin heard his voice through the door. _Oh, God, no!_ Caitlin thought, panicked. _Maybe—maybe if I just stay real quiet, he'll think I'm not here, and he'll go away,_ she thought, fighting down the panic that was rising in her gut. She sat as still as she could, trying not to make a sound. Then she remembered—_Oh, no! Hawke's got a spare key!_ Michael had insisted that everyone have keys to each other's homes, in case of an emergency, as often happened where FIRM missions were concerned. _If he uses it—_Caitlin stopped her thoughts as she heard a key turn in the lock on the front door. _Aw, no! Well, he's comin', so I better be ready,_ Caitlin thought anxiously.

Just about the time String was ready to give up and leave, he remembered—_the spare key. I know we all agreed they're only for emergencies, but I think this qualifies._ He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his keys, quickly finding the spare one for Cait's apartment, and opened the front door. "Cait?" Hawke asked as he walked inside. "You okay?"

"String," Caitlin replied, furiously wiping tears out of her eyes, "what the hell are you doin' here?" She had thought about having String in her apartment many times recently, especially after the incident with Horn, and most recently after Sawyer kidnapped her, but seeing him standing there in front of her now, all Caitlin could think was how embarrassed she was about the situation. _He—he has to notice,_ Caitlin thought anxiously. _What is he going to think of me?_

"Cait?" Hawke asked, slowly walking towards her. "Where have you been the last three days? I've been worried sick about you, and so has Dom."

_**You've **been worried sick! Ha. That's a laugh,_ Caitlin thought. _Especially since I really **have **been sick. _"I—I haven't been feelin' very well, String," Caitlin replied. _Which is true—mostly,_ she thought, recalling the severe bouts of morning sickness she'd been having. _I don't think String or Dom would have wanted to see that._

"When Dom and I got back from the shoot the other day, we noticed you were gone," Hawke said, his concern growing. "And Dom found your note. But, you haven't even called the hangar to let us know where you've been, or what's going on with you. Like I said, Dom and I are both worried about you. Are—are you okay, Cait?" Hawke asked again, becoming even more concerned.

_I—I've gotta be honest with him,_ Caitlin thought nervously. "No, String. I—I'm not okay. When I left the other day, I was headed—to the hospital."

"The hospital?" Hawke asked, shocked. "Why?"

"Because, Hawke," Caitlin said nervously, "I—I wanted to confirm something I found out that day. I—I hadn't been feelin' too well, like I said, and so I—" She stopped as Hawke glanced down, and she saw what he was looking at. _Oh, no. He sees it. __Well, now he knows,_ Caitlin thought anxiously.

"Cait? Are you—?" Hawke couldn't bring himself to say the last word.

"Yeah, String," Caitlin said, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. "I'm three months pregnant," Caitlin replied, ashamedly. "While you guys were out doin' that shoot the other day, I did one of those home pregnancy tests because I haven't been feelin' so hot, not to mention the fact that I'm, late, if you know what I mean; and the test came back positive, so I went to the hospital to have it confirmed."

_Three months__,_ Hawke thought, doing some quick mental arithmetic. _That means—oh, no. __Cait, p__lease tell me that what I'm thinking isn't true,_ Hawke thought anxiously.He didn't want to ask the question that had suddenly lodged itself in his mind, but he knew he had to."Sawyer?" Hawke asked, afraid he already knew the answer.

"Yeah," Caitlin replied, now even more embarrassed. "I—I'm sorry, String. You remember what a smooth talker he was. Well, he talked me right into sleeping with him the night before he kidnapped me. I—I thought he'd been safe, that _we'd _been safe, but I—I guess I was wrong," Caitlin said sadly, glancing down at her belly.

"Caitlin, I—" Hawke said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Caitlin. I—I just can't deal with this right now." He turned and fled from the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"_String__! __Come back!__"_ Caitlin shouted, anguished, as the door slammed behind String. _God, he probably hates me now!_ Caitlin thought as she ran into her bedroom and threw herself down on her bed. _And I don't blame him. 'Cause I'm not too fond of me right now, either. __Will I—will I ever see String again? That look in his eyes—I haven't seen that in a long time. I—I've gotta do something! But, what?__God, String. I'm sorry,_ she thought sadly. _I'm so, so very sorry. __And I wish to hell this had never happened,_ she thought sadly, _but it did, and I can't do a damned thing about it. And, what hurts most is that I don't have anybody to talk to about it, __except maybe Dom__. 'Cause I know my mom wouldn't understand, and would give me all kinds of grief for what I did, as well she should. And I can't bother Erin with this. I-I'll just have to figure this one out on my own. _She cried for hours, until she finally fell into a dreamless, fitful sleep.

To say that Hawke's feelings and thoughts were in turmoil as he drove away from Caitlin's apartment building would have been the understatement of the year. _Actually, _he thought as he pulled off the road so he could clear his head, _more like the understatement of the decade, at **least. **I can't believe this,_ Hawke thought as he sat there along the side of the road. _But at least it explains where Cait's been the last three days. She, she probably didn't want to face us after she found out. Especially me. _Hawke knew that Caitlin had feelings for him that were more than just friendship. _Dom told me what she said to him in Archangel's limo, before they went to rescue me. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't have, similar feelings about Cait. But we can't be together like that! Not with, the curse,_ he thought.

Then he remembered everything that Caitlin had been through since she'd come to California looking for him. _Villers, Holly, the hijacking, Sawyer, that rival air service, not to mention the time on that island. _Hawke remembered how he and Caitlin had been infected with a potentially fatal disease while investigating the disappearance of a group of scientists from a small island where experiments in biological warfare had been taking place. Even though he and Caitlin were both infected, Caitlin had faced the possibility that she could die as bravely as anybody Hawke had ever seen, and had helped him find the rabbit which carried the cure. _Plus helpin' me keep it together long enough to shoot down those nukes that Russian sub pitched at us. Not to mention what happened back in Texas, before I even knew she existed,_ Hawke thought. _And the way she fought me when Horn had me brainwashed—I still remember the bruise her combat boot left on my chest. Maybe I've been thinkin' too much about that curse,_ Hawke chided himself, _because it's obvious Cait is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. And for those times when she does get in over her head and get into serious trouble,_ he thought with a smile, _she's got me, Dom, and the Lady as backup._

_Dammit!_ Hawke thought angrily. _Now I **really **wish I hadn't blasted Sawyer out of the sky like that! I would have preferred to beat the hell out of him with my bare hands for what he's done! But,_ Hawke thought as the hangar came into view, _I'm not going to let Caitlin go through this alone. If she'll have me, then I'm going to stand by her and help her raise this baby. And maybe, just maybe, we'll be together in spite of this. Because I think it's time I acknowledged something that everybody around here, including Michael and Marella, and especially Dom, already think that they know. How I feel about Caitlin. The fact that, I love her, and I'm **in love with her.** And it's been that way for a very long time. Maybe ever since I saw her on the outside of that jail cell back in Pope County. _ Finally, Hawke felt like his mind and emotions had settled enough that he'd be able to get back to the hangar without causing an accident, so he started his motorcycle back up and headed back to the hangar, and Dom.

By the time Hawke had arrived back at the hangar, some thoughts had begun forming in his mind. _But before I do anything else, I've gotta talk to Michael,_ he thought._ I want—no—I **need **to know, legally, what can be done in a situation like this._

"String?" Dom asked when he pulled up. "Did you see Cait? How's she doin'?" Dom asked, worried.

"She's—okay, Dom," Hawke replied, then added, "for bein' three months pregnant."

"_What?!" _Dom demanded, aghast. _"Pregnant?_ Are you sure?"

"Dom, I saw it with my own eyes," Hawke replied. "There's a definite baby bump there, no question about it. And, Caitlin confirmed it to me—she's three months pregnant. That's where she went the other day—to the hospital to confirm a home pregnancy test she did here while we were gone."

"Oh my God," Dom said, shaking his head. "No _wonder _she's been stayin' away from here. But," Dom said, "that explains the box and papers I found in the bathroom trash basket while you were gone." String nodded, and then Dom had a frightening thought cross his mind. "String? You're not—are you?"

"No, Dom," Hawke replied. "Ken Sawyer is—_was_, that is."

"You're kidding me!" Dom shouted. "Sawyer's Caitlin's baby's father? I don't believe it!"

"Hate to say it, Dom, but it's the truth," Hawke said, and Dom was surprised to note the tone of Hawke's voice. _He sounds—sad,_ Dom thought to himself. _But, that's gotta be my imagination runnin' away with me again._ Then, he heard Hawke speaking again. "Caitlin told me herself."

"When?" Dom demanded.

"Cait said they probably conceived the baby the night before Sawyer kidnapped her. You remember how they went out to dinner, and then we didn't see her the next morning—she was givin' Sawyer that flying lesson when we got here, and the next thing we knew, we were tracking her chopper's emergency beacon in Airwolf. The way it looks, they slept together after he took her out on that date, and Sawyer brought her to the hangar so she could have everything opened before they went on that flying lesson, so we wouldn't get suspicious." _And it worked, too. We didn't suspect a damned thing, until Sawyer called me and started teasing me about losing something,_ Hawke thought angrily.

"Yeah, I remember, String," Dom said, shaking his head. "I—I just can't believe it."

"Neither can I, Dom," Hawke replied. "Neither can I."

"Well, c'mon, kid," Dom said, moving towards the helicopter. "Let's get you home. I imagine you've got a lot of thinkin' to do."

"You can say that again, Dom," Hawke said as they boarded the helicopter so Hawke could go home. Just by looking at String, Dom could tell his young surrogate son was deep in thought over what he'd learned that day. _So I'm not gonna bother him,_ Dom thought, knowing Hawke wanted his solitude.

_I sure hope you make the right decision, kid, _Dom thought worriedly as he flew toward the cabin. _I mean, I know as well as anybody how hard it'd be to raise another man's kid, considering I did it with you and Saint John, but I think Cait would rather raise this baby with you—together—than she would raise it alone._ He smiled to himself as he remembered her lines that day. _Not that she couldn't if she had to,_ Dom thought, remembering how convinced he'd been that Caitlin was pregnant that day. _But it'd sure as hell be easier on her if you were there with her, String._

By the time Dom had landed the helicopter on String's dock, he was wondering what was going on in his younger surrogate son's head. _But he's not talkin', _Dom thought as he watched String walk back towards the cabin, _and that worries me._ He watched String for a few more moments, then throttled the helicopter back up and headed towards Van Nuys.

As String got ready for bed that night, he thought about everything he'd discovered that day. And he was surprised to find his thoughts drawn more and more back to Caitlin. _I—I guess it's time_. _Time to admit how I feel. I—I just wonder if she feels the same way about me. _Almost as if in answer, a voice rang in his head. _There's only one way to find out, String._

_Yeah,_ Hawke told the voice in his head, _you're right._ Hawke closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. He wasn't surprised to find Caitlin's face at the forefront of his thoughts that night, either. _And I did know what she was talking about when she said she was 'late.' She meant that her period was late. And, that explains something else, too,_ Hawke thought. _Why she's been so emotional lately. I mean, she's bitten both Dom's and my head off, more than once, recently. I-I just didn't understand why she did it, until now. _

The next morning when he woke up, Hawke had one thing on his mind. He walked quickly and with purpose over to the briefcase Archangel had given him which contained the satellite phone. Almost without thinking, he dialed the number to Michael's office.

"_Hello?"_ Michael's voice came through the handset, startling String. _Good grief, doesn't he ever go home?_ Hawke thought. _But, I'm sure glad he's there now._

"Michael, it's Hawke. I—I need some information ASAP."

"_What sort of information, Hawke?"_ Michael asked.

"It's about a baby, Michael," Hawke said, almost embarrassed. "Someone I know is pregnant, but there's no father. He's, um, dead," Hawke added, then continued, "So my question is—does the mother gain full custodial rights? And if she were seeing someone and they got married, could that man sign the birth certificate, and say that he was the baby's father?" _I wonder if I said too much,_ Hawke thought.

"This, ah, someone," Michael said hesitantly. "Would she be a friend of yours?" _I don't know why, but __I've __suddenly __got a bad feeling I know the answer to that one, even though I don't want to know,_ Michael thought, suddenly becoming anxious.

"Yeah, Michael," Hawke said, even as he wondered if Michael had figured out what was going on, and who Hawke was talking about. "She is a friend of mine."

_I was afraid of that,_ Michael thought. Aloud, he said, "Well, Hawke, let me talk with an old friend of mine, who's a lot more knowledgeable about legal matters than I am, and I'll get back to you. Are you going to be at the hangar later?"

"Of course, Michael," Hawke replied. _I'll be damned! __Archangel actually admitt__ed that__ he doesn't know everything! __Maybe not in so many words, but that's what he meant.__ Dom would be surprised,_ Hawke thought, smiling in spite of the situation.

"All right," Michael said. "I'll contact you there." As Michael hung up the phone, he reached over and pressed the button on his intercom. "Marella? Get me Judge Ronald Clevenger, will you please?"

"_Right away, Michael,"_ Marella's voice came back to him. Michael leaned back in his chair as he considered what Hawke had told him. _I certainly hope Caitlin's not the 'friend' you're talking about, Hawke_. _But I've got a very bad feeling that she is._ Just then, Michael's intercom buzzed. "Yes?" he asked.

"_Ron's on line 3 for you," _Marella said.

"Thank you," Michael said as he picked up his desk line and pushed the correct button. "Ron, how the heck are you?" Michael asked. "No, I'm afraid this isn't a social call, Ron. This is business. I—I need some information for a friend, Ron, and I need it _fast_." Michael listened to Ron for a moment, sighed, and said, "Yes, Ron. Stringfellow Hawke is the friend I'm calling about, and this concerns a female friend of his; and before you ask, I don't know why, but I have a very bad feeling in my gut that Caitlin is that friend." Michael began describing the situation, and finally said, "Okay, Ron, thanks. I'll let Hawke know. And, I owe you _big time _for this. _And you won't let me forget it, either, I'm sure,_ Michael thought as he hung up the phone. He leaned back in his chair, wondering exactly what Hawke had in mind. _Because I remember when we were all having lunch at that caf__é__ in West Germany __after you rescued me from Kruger__,_ he thought. _And every time I mentioned __your__ name, __Hawke, __Caitlin's eyes lit up. __I think you were the only one who didn't notice it, __other than Cait, of course__.__ Plus, Marella told me about the same thing, the day she took Caitlin to that boutique to get her measurements for an Airwolf flight suit. Which, it __turned out, __was a da__m__ned good thing we had, _Michael thought. _Well. If Caitlin __**is **__the friend you were talking about, __I sure hope you do the right thing, Stringfellow Hawke,_ Michael thought as he cleaned up the papers strewn about his desk and got back to work. But something was nagging in Michael's mind. _Hawke said the father is dead, but if Cait's the woman with the baby, then who the hell is—was, that is—the father? I suppose I'll find out when I talk to Hawke,_ Michael thought.

**Meanwhile...**

"String, what are you gonna do?" Dom asked as he flew them back to the hangar. "Or have you decided yet?"

"Well, Dom," Hawke said, "before you came to get me, I—I called Michael. I wanted to know if he knew anything about what happens if the father of an unborn child is dead—whether the mother can declare someone to be the father, or just how that works."

"You think he suspects Cait's the woman with the baby?" Dom demanded.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Hawke replied. "When I asked him, Michael did ask me if the woman I was talking about was a 'friend of mine,' so I have a bad feeling he suspects something. But, he admitted that he needed to check with a friend of his, who knows more about legal matters than he does."

"Well, I'll be damned!" Dom shouted, the laughter obvious in his voice. "Michael actually admitted he doesn't know everything!" Hawke smiled and nodded at his friend. _Somehow, I figured you'd say that, Dom,_ he thought.

"So, have you made any decisions about what you're gonna do, kid?" Dom asked.

"I—I think so, Dom," Hawke replied. "I mean, you told me what Cait said to you in Michael's limo that day—well, I think it's time to find out just _how much_ she cares about me. Because I'm finally ready to admit something—something that I've been fightin' for a long time."

"What would that be, String?" Dom asked, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice—and, knowing he was failing miserably.

"I'm finally ready to admit—that I love Cait, Dom," Hawke admitted. "And not just the way that good friends love each other, either. I realized that—I'm _in love _with Cait. And that I have been for a long time. I've just been too stupid, or stubborn, to realize it. I just wonder if she feels that same way about me." _Or maybe, both stupid **and **stubborn,_ Hawke thought wryly.

"Somehow, String, I don't think you're gonna have to worry about that!" Dom exulted. String glanced over at his surrogate father, and was not surprised to see him grinning from ear to ear.

"Dom," String cautioned, "let's not get too hasty, here. I mean, we know how we _think _Cait feels, but remember what you always told Sinj and me?"

"Yeah, yeah," Dom said, "I remember." _Never assume anything. 'Cause it just makes an 'ass' out of 'you' and 'me,' I used to tell the boys, _Dom thought. _But it's like I said, kid. I don't think you've got anything to worry about. I think Cait's been waitin' for you to straighten your head out about her for a long time!_ Then Dom said, "Y'know, String, I remembered somethin' else about that night—the night Sawyer took Caitlin out. I remembered the look on your face when they left—if looks coulda killed, both Sawyer _and _Caitlin would never have made it out of the hangar! You were jealous, weren't ya?"

"You're darned right I was, Dom," Hawke said. "Even though I knew I didn't have a right to be, since Cait didn't know how I felt, I was still jealous."

"I figured as much," Dom said, laughing. _Even so, I'd bet my last Social Security check that Cait's gonna think String's only sayin' this because of the baby—but __I know String better than that! At least, I think I do. I__ mean, I__ thought Alan, Jane and I taught him better than that,_ Dom thought nervously. _I suppose I'll just have to wait and see, though._

When they got to the hangar, String and Dom were surprised and relieved to find Caitlin there, and everything open for business. Dom quickly shut down the helicopter, and he and String walked out and met Caitlin.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Dom asked, concerned.

"As okay as—wait just a second! How the heck did you know, Dom?" Caitlin demanded. _Duh, __Caity girl__. All he has to do is look at me,_ Caitlin thought. _That was dumb._

"Caitlin, I'm sorry," String said, embarrassed. "It's just that Dom asked me about where you've been, and what's going on with you, when I got back to the hangar last night—and I certainly hope you weren't expecting me to lie to him about it!"

"Nah, String, I wasn't expecting you to lie to Dom about this," Caitlin said as they walked back into the hangar together. "And besides, Dom woulda seen it this morning if you hadn't told him. I'm—I'm just embarrassed about everything."

"I know, sweetheart," Dom said, smiling at her. "But, everything's gonna work out. You'll see." He smiled at Cait and was relieved when she smiled back at him, albeit weakly.

"Thanks, Dom," Caitlin replied. "I just hope you're right And, I'm—I'm sorry for the way I've been actin' lately, bitin' your head off like that," she added.

"That's okay, sweetheart," Dom said, smiling at her. "My ex-wife was the same way when she was carryin' Sally Ann. It'll pass."

"Thanks again, Dom." Caitlin smiled as they went back to work.

Later that morning, Hawke was standing outside the hangar when Michael's limousine pulled up. _Well, I certainly wasn't expecting __**this**__. He could have just called me from Knightsbridge, _Hawke thought_. _Quietly, Hawke moved out to meet the limousine, and greeted Archangel as he stepped out.

"Michael, what did you find out?"

"Hawke, I've talked to an old friend of mine, Judge Ronald Clevenger," Michael said. "I think you and Caitlin went to his retirement ceremony from the FIRM's legal team not long ago. Anyway, Ron told me that in a case like this, since the father is dead—and has no family around that we know about—and the child hasn't been born, that the mother gains full custodial rights—and would be able to designate someone as the father." Just then, Michael saw Caitlin out of the corner of his good eye. _Damn. I really hate being right all the time,_ Michael thought. Quietly, he said, "Hawke, I have a confession to make. I-I suspected Caitlin was the 'someone' you were talking to me about this morning, and I see I was right. I have to tell you, I wish like hell I was wrong."

Glancing over Michael's shoulder, Hawke replied, "Yeah, Michael. You were right. Caitlin's three months pregnant. And Sawyer was the father."

"_Sawyer?_" Michael demanded quietly. "You're kidding me!"

"That's what Cait told me last night, Michael," Hawke replied. "Apparently, they slept together the night before he kidnapped her; and according to Cait, that's when the baby was conceived."

"Well, Hawke, I promise you—this will remain strictly confidential between you, Dom, Caitlin, Ron and myself. I kind of had to explain what was going on to him, you know, even though I wasn't sure Caitlin was the 'friend' you told me about when I talked to Ron," Michael said, feeling a wave of relief when Hawke nodded affirmatively. "And if there's anything—and I mean _anything—_that I can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask," Michael said. "And," he added, "Ron told me to tell you the same thing. If you need anything from him, just let me know, and he'll arrange whatever you need."

"I will, Michael," Hawke replied. "And, thanks—for _everything_."

"You're welcome," Archangel replied. "And I hope you make the right decision. Cait's become a very valuable part of the team—I'd hate to lose her. After all, I owe her my life as much as the rest of you. And so do you, Hawke," Michael added. _Just like she owes you and Dom hers a couple of times over,_ Michael thought, remembering how Hawke and Dom had saved Caitlin from Sawyer, along with rescuing her, along with the passengers and crew of Flight 093, last year._Not to mention saving her from Bogan,_ Michael thought, remembering the meeting Hawke and Dom had with the sheriff of Caitlin's home town in Pope County, Texas.

"I know, Michael. And don't worry. If I have anything to say about it, we won't lose Cait," Hawke said as he shook Michael's hand and walked with Michael over to the limousine. "I'm glad to hear that, Hawke," Michael said. As he climbed in, he said, "We'll be talking again soon." Hawke nodded, and a short time later, he watched the limousine drive off as Dom walked up to him.

"What'd Mr. Clean want?" Dom asked. "We goin' somewhere?"

"No," Hawke replied. "Michael was just bringing me some information I asked him about—about who has the rights to Cait's unborn baby. Michael basically told me that since Sawyer didn't have any family that they know about, Cait will have full rights, and can designate whomever she wants as the baby's father."

"Well, I wonder who that'll be?" Dom said, a mischievous, yet hopeful twinkle in his eye.

"_Dom,_" Hawke said warningly, "don't go jumping to any conclusions here. But," Hawke added, smiling, "You're definitely on the right track. I mean, if she'll have me, I want to be there for Cait, and for her baby, because I love her, like I told you before."

_I was hopin' you'd say that, String!_ Dom thought excitedly. Just then, Caitlin walked up to join them.

"What'd Michael want?" Caitlin wanted to know.

"He was—just bringing me some information I asked about," Hawke replied. Just then, he glanced down at his wristwatch. "It's almost lunch time. Cait? Join me? My treat," Hawke said, smiling at her.

"Stringfellow Hawke, I thought you'd _never ask,"_ Caitlin said with a smile, slipping her arm through his as they walked over to the food stand that was set up outside the hangar. A few minutes later, they were seated back in the office with their lunches.

"So how are you feeling, Cait?" Hawke asked.

"Oh, I'm okay, most of the time," Caitlin replied. "But you wouldn't have wanted to see me when I woke up this morning! They don't call it 'morning sickness' for nothin', y'know!"

"I know, Cait." Hawke replied. He remembered Saint John telling him stories about how their mother had been sick several times while she was pregnant with both of them. "But if it helps, Mom told Saint John and me that the morning sickness does go away after a while."

"That—does help, a little," Caitlin said, shocked that String had mentioned his parents to her. _He's never done that before,_ she thought. _Just mentioning his parents like that._ _Of course, he's never bought me lunch before, either. What the heck is goin' on with him?_

"String?" Caitlin asked hesitantly. "I-I owe you an apology, too, for the way I've been treating you lately. I didn't understand why I've been so emotional lately, until I went to the doctor. Anyway," she said, her voice dropping, "I'm-I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Cait," Hawke said, smiling at her. "I understand. Even though I didn't know what was bothering you any more than you did, I knew it had to be something mighty important to have you that upset—I just didn't expect, well, you know," he said, suddenly embarrassed himself.

"Yeah, I do know," Caitlin said, "and, thanks." She smiled at String, a genuinely warm, friendly smile, and was surprised to see him return her smile with one of his own. _He does look good when he smiles!_ Caitlin thought, remembering what Bobby Phelps had told him a few weeks ago. _Even better than he usually looks,_ Caitlin thought as she turned her attention back to her lunch.

"Um, thanks for lunch, String," Caitlin said a few minutes later.

"Sure, Cait," Hawke replied easily. "Anytime." He smiled warmly at her, and was relieved to see a warm, friendly smile from her in return.

That night when Caitlin went home, she thought about Hawke's actions earlier that afternoon. _I'd sure like to know what the heck's going on with him,_ she thought. _But I've gotta admit, I like it!_ She recalled the easy conversation they'd had during lunch—he hadn't brought up the baby once, and had been friendlier than she could recall him being in a long time. _If I didn't know better, I'd think String—nah. That can't happen. But I can sure dream it did,_ Caitlin thought wistfully.

Over the next few weeks, Hawke began paying Caitlin more and more attention, which made her happier than she'd been in a long time—_actually, the happiest I've been since I found out I was pregnant,_ she thought one night, just before Hawke took her out to dinner. _Now I know something's going on with String, and I hope like heck it never changes!_ Caitlin thought excitedly when Hawke dropped her at her apartment that night before he went back to the hangar. As she fell asleep that night, Caitlin couldn't help but envision a ceremony on the dock back at Hawke's cabin—the two of them, Dom, a judge, her mother and older sister Erin, and maybe Michael and Marella—as she and String exchanged wedding vows. _I hope it happens,_ she thought excitedly, _soon. But, _her momentary excitement suddenly collapsed around her as a horrible thought crossed her mind. _I dunno why, but I get this funny feelin' that String's new attitude is just because of my baby. And that, I'm not sure I like at all._

_Michael's right,_ Hawke thought as he watched Dom's chopper fly away. _I—I do owe Cait my life, after what happened with Horn. And after everything she's been through, and survived—could she be the person I'm supposed to be with?_ Hawke's thoughts were in turmoil for the rest of the evening, and as he lay down to try to sleep later that night, he couldn't help but picture Caitlin's face again. _We can't lose you now, Cait. **I **can't lose you now. And, I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure we don't._ His mind made up, Hawke was finally able to fall asleep.

"String?" Dom asked the next morning as they flew back to the hangar from his cabin. "Have you told Cait how you—?"

"No, Dom," Hawke admitted. "But I think I will—tonight."

"Well, all I can say is—it's about time, String!" Dom said happily.

"I know, Dom," Hawke said, surprised at how nervous he was suddenly becoming. _And it's only gonna get worse tonight,_ he said to himself anxiously, remembering how he'd wondered how Caitlin felt about him. _I mean, I think I know how she feels,_ Hawke thought, _but it's the uncertainty that makes me nervous. __Like Dom always told both Saint John and me: 'Never assume anything, 'cause it just makes an 'ass,' out of 'you,' and 'me.' __But, I suppose I'll find out tonight._.

That night, Hawke took Caitlin out again for dinner. As they waited for their meals, Hawke finally said, "Cait, there's—something I want to talk to you about."

"Yes, String?" Caitlin asked. _I sure hope he doesn't notice how nervous I am,_ she thought anxiously. _But then again, I'm probably no more nervous than he is._She had noticed the tone of his voice when he started to speak, and Caitlin hoped her own voice didn't convey her feelings the same way his had.

"Well, Cait," Hawke said as he reached over and took her hands in his, "Ever since I found out about—well, you know—I've been doin' a lot of thinking, and I realize that I've been fighting, and denying, something for far too long." _Well, here goes...everything,_ Hawke thought anxiously. He took a deep breath, then looked into Caitlin's eyes and said, "Caitlin, I love you. And I'm in love with you. And, I have been for a very long time. I've just been too stubborn to admit it before now." Hawke watched Caitlin's face for her reaction, and was surprised when a frown creased her face.

_God, please tell me String didn't just say that because of the baby! _Caitlin thought anxiously. _I swear, I'll never ask you for anything again as long as I live! __Could__ ya just give me that one thing, __God__? Please? _"String," she said in a tone of voice that made Hawke even more nervous, "are you just sayin' that because I'm—pregnant?" _I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that question,_ Caitlin thought anxiously, remembering what she'd thought about the night before.

"No, Cait," Hawke said, looking into her eyes, and hoping she could see the honesty in his. "I'm not just saying that because of your baby. I—I've been in love with you for a really long time—probably ever since I first saw you back in Pope County. Like I said, I've just been too stubborn, and stupid, to admit it before now. But I understand why you feel that way, and I—I guess I wouldn't blame you if you didn't believe me," Hawke added. _As much as I hate to admit it, __I knew that was coming,_ Hawke thought. _And, it doesn't surprise me in the least. I just hope she can accept __that I mean __what I said__, and we can move on—together._

_Wow,_ Caitlin thought excitedly. _Guess God heard me! _She felt a wave of excitement pass through her as she realized what Hawke had just told her. Then, she noticed him smiling at her, and wondered how long he would wait before saying something else to her.

After what felt to Hawke like way too long, Caitlin finally squeezed his hand and said, "I—I believe you, String. And—I feel the same way about you. I think I've been in love with you ever since that day, too. I've just been waiting—and hoping—that you'd figure out your feelings someday," she said, her eyes glistening with tears. _Waiting, h__oping, and __**praying **__is more like it, _she thought.

"Cait, I'm sorry that I took so long to figure out my feelings," Hawke replied. "But I promise you that I'm going to spend the rest of our lives trying to make up for it. And," he said, "I'm going to be there for you and your baby, if you'll let me."

_Wow,_ Caitlin thought excitedly when she heard Hawke say _'the rest of **our **lives.' He must be more serious than I thought! _She thought excitedly about her dream of a couple of nights ago, when she dreamed she and Hawke got married. _Maybe it's going to happen!_ Then her momentary excitement came crashing down around her again. _I can't shake the feelin' that the only reason String is sayin' all these wonderful things—everything I've always hoped and prayed that I'd hear him say—is because of the baby, _Caitlin thought. _I—I've gotta know, whether I want to know, or not._

"What's wrong, Cait?" Hawke asked, worried again. _I thought she'd be happy that I finally pulled my head outta my rear end and admitted my feelings for her. But she sure doesn't seem happy,_ he thought.

"String," Caitlin said hesitantly, "I—I know what you said a minute ago, but I—I just can't shake this feelin' that you only said that because of—well—my situation. And I don't think I like that." Hawke felt a momentary surge of anger at Caitlin's declaration, until he considered it for a moment. _It makes perfect sense when I think about it with a clear head,_ he thought. _I've been basically ignoring her for so long, and now that she's pregnant, even though the baby isn't even mine, here I am confessing that I love her and paying more attention to her in the last couple of days than I have in the last two **years**. _Finally, Hawke felt calm enough to say what he knew needed to be said.

"Cait," he began, "I understand why you feel the way you do, and I don't blame you for feeling that way. I mean, I've been really stupid these last couple of years, pushing you away because of the curse I think I have on myself and all that. But," he said, smiling at her, "please believe me when I tell you that what I'm feeling isn't new—and it isn't because of your situation. I've been denying these feelings for too long, Caitlin. Maybe—maybe this situation just gave me a push to acknowledge what I've been fighting for so long—how I feel about you. And I'll do whatever I have to do to show you that my feelings are real. I promise you that." Just then, the waiter came with their meals, and Caitlin reluctantly disengaged her hands from Hawke's so they could both eat.

"String," Caitlin began a moment later, "it's just going to take some getting used to—this whole thing with you and me. But," she said with a smile, "I'm glad you finally figured out how you feel."

"So am I, Cait," Hawke replied. "So am I."

After dinner, as Hawke drove them back to the hangar, Caitlin said, "String, please don't take anything I've said the wrong way. It's not that I don't love you—I do. I just—"

"You just need some time," Hawke said, and Caitlin nodded. "I understand. And even though I don't like it, I'll wait as long as you need me to. I mean, I kept you waiting for me to figure out my feelings for two _years,_ so it seems only fair that I wait a little bit while you figure yours out. But I meant what I said, Caitlin. If you'll let me, I'm going to be there for you and the baby, because I love you."

"Thanks, String," Caitlin replied. "But, I promise—it won't take too long." She squeezed his hand as they approached the hangar. _Especially since __I know String—he doesn't say somethin' like what he said a minute ago if he doesn't mean it. __And that also applies to __everything __he said during dinner. __I can't believe it! He finally admitted that he loves me!_

"I'm glad to hear that, Cait," Hawke replied.

"String, when you left my apartment that day, I, I was so scared. I was afraid you hated me because of what happened, and I was scared to death that you'd never speak to me again."

"I understand, Cait, but as far as me hating you for what happened, I could never hate you. Now, Sawyer, that's another story entirely, but he's dead. I, I just needed a little time to process everything I'd seen, and everything you'd told me that day." Caitlin nodded her understanding. _I know what String's like better'n anybody, except maybe Dom. So it makes perfect sense, what he said._

"But, I promise you, like I said before—my feelings are real, and I'll do whatever I have to do to prove that to you," Hawke added.

"I appreciate that, String," Caitlin said with a smile directed toward him. _Probably more than you know, Stringfellow Hawke,_ Caitlin thought.

Once they had arrived back at the hangar, Hawke kissed Caitlin good-night more thoroughly and passionately than she could ever recall him kissing her. When he finally separated them, she thought, _Between everything you've said tonight, and that kiss, you may have just made my decision a heckuva lot easier, String._ Finally, she got into her car and drove off for home, as String walked into the hangar to meet Dom.

"You kids had a nice time, I gather?" Dom asked.

"Yeah, we did," String said as they climbed into the chopper to head back to the cabin. "Cait just told me she needs a little time to figure out her feelings, that's all."

"Well, you can't completely blame her for _that,_ can you?" Dom asked. "I mean, after all, you've been denying your feelings about her for—"

"Dom," String interrupted, "I know. And I don't blame her, because you're right. I _have_ been denying my feelings about Cait for too long, and it makes sense that even though she told me she loves me, she still has doubts that I'm only doin' this because she's pregnant. Well, I'll just have to show her that I'm serious," String said, and the expression in his eyes left no doubts in Dom's mind about how String felt.

"Well, kid, all I'm gonna say is that I doubt it's gonna take Cait long to figure her feelings out!" Dom said as they landed on the dock. As String climbed out of the helicopter, he said, "I hope you're right, Dom!" Then he closed the door and stepped back as Dom throttled the helicopter back up and headed back towards Van Nuys. _I sure hope you're right,_ Hawke thought anxiously as Dom's helicopter faded into the distance, and he walked back into the cabin. That night before he went to bed, Hawke made a decision. _Wait a second. T__here's nothin' that says I can't try to help Cait make her decision, is there?_ He smiled as he considered his plan for the next morning. _Fortunately, I know a florist that's open early, and they deliver. This should work out just fine._ Satisfied, Hawke imagined Caitlin's reaction when his plan came to fruition. _It'd be nice if I got there before the flowers did, but if not, that's okay too, _Hawke thought. _But other than that, I'm just gonna give Cait whatever time she needs __to make her decision. That should show her that my feelings are real, and that I meant what I said__. I, I just hope it's not too long._

As Dom flew back to the hangar, he thought about everything he'd heard from String. _Boy, do I hate bein' right, especially now. But __I guess I'm not surprised Cait needs a little time,_ he thought. _And I don't blame her for thinkin' String's only doin' this because she's pregnant, even though I know better. I just hope things work out. _He brought his helicopter down outside the hangar, then closed everything down and went home.

Caitlin, meanwhile, was thinking about everything that had happened that night as she drove home. _I can't believe it—but Hawke doesn't hate me for what happened. __In__ fact, he told me he loves me tonight! And even though I told him I needed some time to figure out my feelings, I—I can't deny how much I love him. How much I've always loved him. __Somehow, I don't think it's gonna be long before I tell String, either. __'Cause when he kissed me good-night, I fel__t loved__. I felt the love String says he has for me—somethin' I never felt when Ken kissed me, the few times he did kiss me, that is. __And String's never complained once when I've sent him out on an errand to pick me up somethin' to eat, even when I asked him to get me pickles and chocolate ice cream __yesterday__. And,_ she thought happily, _he's bent over backwards to make sure I don't do too much around the hangar, not to mention givin' me a couple of great back rubs. And I didn't even have to ask him for those. He did it because he saw how much I was hurtin', and, because he loves me._She fell asleep with a smile on her face for the first time since she found out she was pregnant. As she fell asleep, Caitlin found Hawke's smiling face at the forefront of her thoughts.

The next morning when Caitlin arrived at the hangar, she found a delivery man waiting for her with a bouquet of a dozen roses. Once she'd given the delivery man a nice tip, Caitlin looked for the card and smiled through the happy tears that erupted in her eyes when she found it.

"_I'm not doin' this to put any pressure on you, Cait. I just hope these help—and like I told you last night, it's because I love you. Love, String."_

_Oh, String. You bet they help! _She sighed happily as she found a vase and put her flowers in water, then opened the hangar and waited for Hawke and Dom to arrive. _And I'm seriously thinkin' it's not gonna be long before I tell him about my feelings,_ Caitlin thought, happier than she'd been in a long time.

They arrived a few minutes later, and Caitlin's heart leaped when she saw String sitting in the co-pilot's chair and smiling at her. She walked out to meet Dom and Hawke, smiling.

"Good morning, Dom," Caitlin said as String stepped out of the helicopter. "Morning, String," she said a second later as she wrapped her arms around String's neck and kissed him. She felt Hawke's arms wrap around her waist as he kissed her back. _This has to be the greatest feelin' in the world,_ Caitlin thought excitedly. _I never felt this way when __Ken __held me. But this—__this __feels right. It feels like—like I belong in String's arms, just like this._

Finally, String separated them, and when he caught his breath, he said, "I take it you got the flowers?"

"Yeah, String," Caitlin replied, beaming. "They were here when I got here. And," she said, her eyes shining, "I appreciate how your note said 'I'm not doin' this to put pressure on you,' but I wanted to let you know that they did help. More than you know." Dom smiled at Cait's words, trying to mask how excited he'd become—and knowing he'd failed miserably.

"I'm glad," Hawke said, smiling at her. Suddenly, he tightened his arms around Caitlin as he felt her slipping out of his grasp. "Cait? You okay?" He asked, suddenly concerned.

"I'm fine, String," Caitlin replied, smiling up at him. "It's just—that smile of yours always makes me weak in the knees." She felt herself blushing slightly at Hawke, but he simply nodded and smiled at her again.

"I understand, Cait," Hawke said as he helped her get her balance back. She didn't let go of Hawke, though, as they started walking back towards the hangar.

"String," Caitlin said happily as they walked back to the hangar, arms around each other's waists, "you don't know how much it meant to me to find those roses here this morning. Between getting those roses and your good-night kiss last night, I—I think you made my decision a heckuva lot easier," she said, planting a gentle kiss on Hawke's cheek. _Not to mention that kiss you just laid on me,_ Caitlin said to herself, still feeling the emotions from Hawke's kiss. "Oh, by the way, String," she added, "I had a wonderful time at dinner last night." Dom smiled at Caitlin's comment.

"I hope so," Hawke replied, then added, "I'm glad. And," he smiled at Caitlin, "so did I." Dom was still smiling at String and Caitlin as they went back to work. By the time they closed the hangar, Caitlin had made up her mind. _After everything String's done since he found out about the baby, __I can't deny how much I love __him__. _She remembered three times that day alone that she'd sent Hawke running for ice cream, chips, and cookies because she was hungry. _And he ran every time, without complaining even once. __Not to mention givin' me another awesome back rub after lunch, just 'cause I looked like my back was hurtin'. It was, but, I didn't even have to say anything. String just, knew, and did it, without me even asking him to.__And he hasn't brought up the baby or my decision all day long. It's like, like he's waitin' for me to make up my mind about how I feel. And I have made up my mind, doggone it! __I can't __deny__ how much I love __String, o__r __the fact that I've loved him ever since I laid eyes on him back in Pope County__. S__o tonight__ I'm gonna tell him that. _

That night, Hawke took Caitlin out to dinner again, and their conversation centered around Hawke's feelings about finding out Cait was pregnant.

"I have to admit that I was shocked," Hawke replied, "especially when you told me that Sawyer was the father. I mean, I knew you loved him—or at least, you _thought_ you loved him—but I never thought you would have slept with him."

"String, if I had any idea how you felt about me, then I _never _would have let Sawyer talk me into sleeping with him," Caitlin said, the worry obvious in her hazel eyes. "And there's somethin' else about him. Yeah, he was a good looking man, and he acted real sweet in the beginning, but he was a rat, through and through. And even though I was physically attracted to him, I-I didn't love him, String. At least, not the way I love you. I-I hope you know that," Caitlin said. _But I wouldn't blame you if you didn't believe me,_ she thought.

"I do, Cait," Hawke said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "I know. And I blame myself for that. I mean, if I had just told you how I felt that night before you and Sawyer left, maybe that whole thing wouldn't have—"

"String," Cait interrupted him, "stop it! Just _stop _that talk right now, you hear me? I don't want you to blame yourself for this, at least not completely! Although," she said, smiling, "It doesn't surprise me that you're tryin' to figure out a way to blame yourself for this mess I'm in, but I'm telling you—this is _not your fault! _After all, _I'm _the one who acted like a lovesick, hormonal sixteen-year-old girl again and fell head-over-heels for Sawyer, and _I'm _the one who was stupid enough to let him talk me into sleeping with him! Yeah, maybe if I'd known how you felt about me things would've been different, but I didn't know how you felt, and we can't change what happened. Besides," she said, "Maybe he would've done it, even if I _had _known how you felt about me, and been able to tell him 'no.' Like I told ya, String, he only slept with me so that I'd keep my mouth shut. And if I hadn't been willing, then he, he probably would've forced me to." The fear in Caitlin's eyes just then made Hawke shudder involuntarily. _If he'd raped you, Cait, then I **really **would have wanted to tear him limb from limb, _Hawke thought. _Even more than I already did when he kidnapped you and told me he had a bomb strapped to you._

Caitlin continued, "But it doesn't matter anymore. What happened in the past belongs there—in the past. I can't go back and undo what I did, and you can't either. All we can do is move forward. And," Caitlin said, smiling, "I'd really like to move forward _together,_ with you." She smiled at Hawke, hoping he could see her feelings for him reflected in her eyes.

"So would I, Cait," Hawke agreed. "So would I." _But that's really your decision_. _And I don't want to pressure you one way or the other—and, I won't. _

_Well, I guess now's as good a time as any,_ Caitlin thought, her anxiety level rising again."String," Caitlin said out loud, "there's—somethin' I need to tell you. It's—about what I said yesterday."

_Uh-oh,_ Hawke thought anxiously, especially when he heard Caitlin's tone of voice. "Okay, Cait," he said, preparing his mind and heart for whatever Caitlin had to say to him. _As I heard someone say in a movie once, I have a very bad feeling about this. I mean, I know what I hope Cait's going to say, but I don't know if that is what she's going to say, if that makes any sense._

"Well, you remember yesterday when I said I needed some time to figure out how I felt?" Caitlin asked. Hawke nodded, silent, even as he felt his heart sink. "Well," Caitlin continued, "it didn't take near as long as I thought it would. String, I can't deny how I feel about you. Like I told you before, I have been in love with you practically since the day I saw you in Bogan's jail cell. Maybe that's why I came back here lookin' for ya, I don't know. And with everything you've done since you found out about the baby—everything you _didn't have to do,_ I might add—I swear, I've just fallen in love with you all over again. What I mean, String, is that I know my heart. And, my heart knows that it belongs to you, Stringfellow Hawke. I think it has ever since I met you, even if it did take you so long to acknowledge it. And, I kinda feel bad about what I said yesterday—I mean, there you were, tellin' me everything I've wanted to hear from you ever since I met you, and I've gotta admit, it, it scared me. At first, like I told ya before, I thought you were only sayin' those things because of the baby. But, I know you better than that, String. I know that you _never _say things like that if you don't mean 'em. I guess the point to all this rambling, String, is that _I love you._ And, I'm _in love with you. _I have been ever since I met you, and I _always will be._ And there's nothin', or nobody, that could change how I feel about you." Hawke saw the truth of what Caitlin was saying shining in her blue-green eyes, and he felt an enormous sense of relief.

"Cait, I've done all these things _because_ I love you. And I'll always love you, too," Hawke replied, smiling at her. "And, I'm sorry if anything I said frightened you, but I can understand why you felt that way. And I promise you that I'm going to spend the rest of our lives trying to make up for scaring you," he said, not surprised to see Caitlin's eyes fill with tears again. _But they're happy tears,_ Hawke thought. As soon as they finished eating and got up from the table, Hawke took Caitlin into his arms and kissed her passionately and completely. By the time they separated, there was no doubt in Caitlin's mind how Hawke felt about her—and she was fairly certain that she'd left no doubt in Hawke's mind about her feelings for him. She almost told Hawke she wanted to go to the cabin with him, but she decided against it. _Besides,_ she said to herself, _if this relationship goes where I think it's going, then I'll be spendin' most of my time up at the cabin with String, very soon. But it's like Meg Ryan said in 'Top Gun,' String. I am 'one hundred percent, prime time, in **love with you.**' _

"Cait," Hawke said as they drove back to the hangar, "I have a confession to make."

_Uh-oh,_ Caitlin thought anxiously. "Yes, String?" she asked worriedly.

"Well, when Sawyer came and took you out that night, I—I was jealous," Hawke said, glancing hesitantly over at her, and relaxing when he saw a smile gracing Caitlin's face. "I remember thinking how beautiful you looked, how happy you looked to be with him—and I was wishing that _I _could make you look like that, even though I hadn't figured my feelings out yet. I probably should've said somethin' right there, but I just couldn't; and, I'm sorry."

"I know, String," Caitlin said as they pulled up to the hangar. "And, I'll be honest with ya—I was wishin' like heck that you would've said somethin', and felt real sad when you didn't—and, maybe that's why I fell for his BS and slept with him—but it's like I said a few minutes ago. We can't go back and change what happened that night. All we can do now is move forward, together." _And besides, maybe we wouldn't be together like this, now, if I hadn't fallen for Sawyer's BS,_ Caitlin thought. _So maybe this is what was supposed to happen. _Then a very funny thought crossed her mind. _What String said about how beautiful I looked that night, I hate to admit it, but it sounded like the words to an old George Strait song I __love—but that song will never mean the same __thing __to me again__. But,_ she thought, stifling a smile, _I'll keep that little tidbit to myself. Heck, it might come in handy someday._

"Yeah," String said as they stepped out of the Jeep. He didn't waste a moment, sweeping Caitlin into his arms for another passionate kiss. When he separated them, as soon as he felt like he could say something, he said, "You and me, together. You probably won't believe this, Cait, but I really love the sound of that." And as he looked at Caitlin there in his arms, Hawke realized, _she looks even happier, and more beautiful right now than she did that night with __Sawyer__. __And, I hope I never stop putting that look in her eyes,_ Hawke thought. _Because when I see Caitlin look at me like that, all's right in my world._

"I'm glad, String" Caitlin replied, smiling at him. "And I _do _believe you. And I love the way that sounds, too," Caitlin said with tears in her eyes. She suddenly felt more comfortable, there in Hawke's arms, than she'd felt in a long time. _I never felt like this when Ken held me,_ Caitlin thought happily. _And __even with the baby, I can tell that __String and I fit together perfectly. It's like—like we're made for each other. _Caitlin remembered how it had felt when Hawke kissed her on that movie set two years ago, even though it had been at a director's behest. _Even then, I knew we belonged together. And now, it looks like we're gonna be._

Finally, even though she didn't want String to let her go, she reluctantly eased out of his arms so she could go home. And Caitlin noticed that String didn't let go of her completely until he absolutely had to, just before she climbed into her car to go home. _Now I know what true love feels like,_ she thought happily as she fell asleep that night. _Nobody has ever made me feel the way String did tonight. __N__ot Ken, not Robert—nobody. __With them, I was just a means to an end, but with String, __I know that __it's different. It's love, pure and simple. The kind I always hoped that I'd find. __I never should have doubted how String feels about me, 'cause he's proven how he feels ever since he found out __about my baby__. __He didn't have to do any of the things he's done since he found out—__the way he's been helpin' me, __not letting me do too much and chance hurtin' the baby,__ or the way he's been lookin' out for me even more than usual, for example, __buyin' me breakfast or lunch—__or both—almost __every day, __not to mention not complaining when I've told him I needed a snack __and sent him on a run for ice cream, or chips, or whatever I got a craving for__, __and those awesome back rubs he's been givin' me, __plus takin' me out to dinner when we've closed up the hangar, not to mention sendin' those beautiful roses today__—but, __he did __'em anyway, without me even having to say anything__—__and he did them __all __because he loves me. _

_And __more important than everything Hawke's done for me, __there's everything he __**hasn't **__done since he found out. String hasn't judged me, or said he hated me for sleepin' with Sawyer. Even though I did it, String still loves me, and wants to be with me to help me raise my __baby__. __And most important of all, String didn't put an ounce of pressure on me when I told him I needed to make up my mind. He stepped back and __gave me__ the time I needed—and I think that's why I didn't need that much time, if that makes one lick of sense, _Caitlin thought happily. _String __and I belong together. __And now, it looks like we will be._Caitlin felt a happy tear in her eye as she fell asleep, dreaming of the day String would be lying next to her as her husband. _I can't wait to feel his arms around me every night, just like I did tonight,_ she thought as she fell asleep.

Finally, a few months later, Hawke decided it was time. He called Michael and asked him to get in touch with Judge Clevenger. When Michael asked why, Hawke said, "I just want to make some arrangements, with the baby coming soon and all."

"Aha," Michael had said. "And I don't think I need to ask what sort of 'arrangements' you're thinking of, do I?" Michael wondered if Hawke could hear the smile in his voice. _Looks like I'll have to have Marella call Ron again,_ Michael thought.

"No, Michael, you don't," Hawke replied. "Which reminds me, I need one other favor. If Cait says 'yes,' then would you stand as—?"

"Hawke, it would be my honor," Michael replied. _Especially since Saint John's not here,_ he thought. _And I don't think you'll have to worry about __Caitlin__ saying 'yes,' either, Hawke. I've known how Caitlin felt about you ever since we had lunch in that cafe after you rescued me. Every time Dom or I mentioned your name, I saw Cait's eyes light up. And I saw the way she kissed you after she got off the ship—that made it obvious how Cait felt about you. __I'm just relieved you've finally admitted how __**you **__feel about __**her**__, before we lost her for good. _Smiling, he buzzed Marella and asked her to call Judge Clevenger again. When Judge Clevenger answered the phone, Michael said, "Ron, hi. It's Michael again, and I need another favor. When would you be able to schedule a wedding?" Michael listened to Ron for a few minutes, then said, "Yes, Ron. Hawke's going to ask her to marry him, soon. And I agree, it is about time," Michael said, smiling as he pictured Caitlin's expression the night of Ron's retirement party from the FIRM's legal team. "All right, I'll let Hawke know, and thanks again, Ron," Michael said before he hung up.

Hawke and Caitlin were married a few weeks later, with Michael standing as Hawke's best man, and Marella standing with Caitlin as her maid of honor. "After all," Caitlin had said when she asked Marella about it, "since my family doesn't know about the baby, I kinda don't want to tell them about it. At least, not _yet._ And, String and I do consider you and Michael to be friends, you know."

"Thank you, Caitlin," Marella had told her. "We appreciate that. And, we consider you and Hawke both friends, you know that. And, just like Michael told Hawke, it will be an honor to stand with you when you and Hawke get married."

"Yeah, I do know that," Caitlin said. "And I—that is, _we—_appreciate it. And, thanks." Caitlin smiled at Marella, and was happy to see her smile back.

After the ceremony, Hawke and Judge Clevenger talked.

"Hawke," Judge Clevenger said, "Michael told me about the situation you and Caitlin are in, and let me just say that I hope you didn't marry Caitlin because of the baby."

"No, Your Honor," Hawke replied. "I love Caitlin very much—I'm just embarrassed that it took this whole thing with the baby to get me to realize it." He stifled a smile as he recalled Caitlin voicing her concern that Hawke was only marrying her because of her baby.

"I'm certainly glad to hear that," Judge Clevenger said, "But now that I think about it, Stringfellow, I remember when you and Caitlin came to my retirement party from the FIRM's legal team—when I saw the two of you walk into the ballroom, I don't think I'd ever seen anyone look more in love than Caitlin did that night—at least, until today. And today, I saw _you_ looking just as in love with Cait as she does with you. Congratulations, Hawke," Judge Clevenger said, smiling at him.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Hawke replied. A few moments later, Michael, Dom, Marella and Judge Clevenger had all returned to the hangar, leaving Hawke and Caitlin alone at the cabin, and Hawke wasted little time in showing Caitlin just how much he loved her, and how happy he was that they were finally together. Knowing the baby was due soon, Hawke made sure to be extra careful and gentle, even though Caitlin assured him that having sex while she was pregnant was safe for both her and her baby. And as they fell asleep that night, Caitlin felt her husband's arms around her body, and she knew String was taking care not to put any pressure on the baby. _Just like I'd hoped,_ Caitlin thought happily._Even though Mom and Erin weren't here, everything that happened __today __was just like I'd hoped it'd be, __but heck, I would've been happy if we'd just flown to Vegas and eloped—that's how much I love String—but I loved that he set that little ceremony up today__. And __right now, in String's arms, I swear __I'm the happiest gal on the face of this Earth!_ _Because String's finally mine, just like I'm his. For now, and forever. __Thank you so much, String, for makin' me your wife, _she thought with a happy tear in her eye as they fell asleep together for the first time, as husband and wife.

**Three Months Later...**

"_GODDAMMIT, HAWKE!" _Caitlin screamed as another contraction hit her. _"Don't you even think about touching me again, __do __you hear me?" _Knowing there was nothing he could do to help, and not wanting to aggravate her further, Hawke simply nodded and squeezed Caitlin's hand, trying to help her through the pain of the latest contraction. Finally, just about the time Caitlin thought she might pass out from the pain, she heard the small cry of her child.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hawke," Dr. Robertson said. "It's a girl." Hawke smiled as he cut the umbilical cord and handed Caitlin her daughter.

"She's—she's beautiful, Cait," Hawke said, saddened for just a moment by the thought that this little child was not a creation of the love between Caitlin and himself. _But that's okay,_ Hawke reminded himself. _We'll make sure she's not an only child as soon as we can start trying. __Because if I know Cait, I'd bet she doesn't want her daughter growing up an only child, and in all honesty, neither do I__._

"Have you decided on a name?" Dr. Robertson asked.

"Saoirse," Caitlin replied. "Saoirse Marie Hawke." Dr. Robertson nodded and took Saoirse Marie away for just a moment to be weighed and measured.

"That's a beautiful name," Hawke said to his wife, "but how the heck did you pronounce it?"

"Seer-sha," Caitlin replied, smiling at her husband. _He must not have been payin' attention the first two times I said it. But that's okay, _Caitlin thought. Aloud, she said, "It's an old Gaelic name, and it means 'freedom.' I—I just loved the way it sounds, don't you?" Just then, the nurse brought Saoirse back and handed her to Hawke. "Mr. Hawke, I think somebody's missing her daddy," the nurse said, and Hawke politely smiled at her as he took Caitlin's daughter. _What the nurse doesn't know won't hurt,_ Hawke thought. Then, he noticed something—even though Saoirse had been fussing when the nurse brought her over, the minute Hawke took her, she quieted down and closed her eyes contentedly. _She must feel comfortable with me,_ Hawke thought as he gazed down at the small bundle in his arms.

"Yeah, Cait," Hawke said as he held Caitlin's child. "You're right. It's a beautiful name. Well, Saoirse, welcome to the world. Your mommy and I are sure happy you're here." He smiled at Caitlin, and she felt happy tears well up in her eyes as she watched Hawke with her daughter. _Saoirse quieted right down the second String took her from the nurse,_ Caitlin thought, smiling. _That just proves it. __String __may not be Saoirse's biological father, _Caitlin thought, _but __what __that nurse __said__ was absolutely right. Because __as far as I'm concerned, String is __Saoirse's__ daddy. And I couldn't be happier. __I mean, he's come with me to all my doctor's appointments, __not to mention runnin' for snacks whenever I asked him, even before we got married,__ and never complained once. And, i__t looks like __Saoirse__'s already got him wrapped around her little fingers,_ Caitlin thought with a smile as she watched them together. She stifled a chuckle when Saoirse grabbed one of Hawke's fingers in her tiny hand. _Yep. He's already wrapped around her little fingers—literally._

_I can't believe it,_ Caitlin thought happily as she watched Hawke holding her daughter. _I never should've doubted how String feels about me—'cause I can see it in how he is with my daughter. Even though she's not his, I can already tell how much he loves her._

"You're right, Cait," Hawke said as he held Saoirse. "Even though she's not mine, I love this little girl like she was my own. And before you ask how I knew what you were thinkin', I could see it in your eyes."

"Thanks, String," Caitlin said as she watched Hawke holding her daughter. "You don't know how happy that makes me, hearin' you say that." _And I bet you'll be just as happy when I tell you what I'm thinkin', _Caitlin thought happily. _I can't believe how calm she is around String,_ Caitlin thought. _It's like she accepts him as her father, even though he isn't._

"Oh, I think I do, Cait," Hawke said as he smiled at Caitlin and her child. _I can see your happiness in your eyes, Cait. And that makes me happy,_ Hawke thought.

"So, how're you doing so far, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, grinning at her husband.

_She must've heard the nurse say that,_ Hawke thought, glancing around to make sure they were alone. "Caitlin, you and I know that I'm not—"Hawke was suddenly interrupted.

"String," Caitlin said, "I heard what that nurse said, and I'll tell you somethin'—she didn't make a mistake just now."

"What?" Hawke said, confused.

"When the nurse brought Saoirse back to you and said, 'I think somebody's missing her daddy,'" Caitlin replied. "even though she was wrong in the literal sense, she didn't make a mistake. And, that's why I said what I did. Saoirse may not be yours biologically, String, but in my eyes, _you're _her daddy, and her father. And you always will be, so you'd better get used to it. Not her 'step-father,' either. As far as the rest of the world and I are concerned, you're her _father,_ String. Period. End of sentence, and _end of story. _And in case you're wonderin' where that came from, I caught your expression when the nurse told you that. But," Caitlin said, "it's like I said before. _You _are the one I think of as Saoirse's father, and daddy, no matter what. And, you're the _only father _that Saoirse is _ever gonna know, _String. After all, it's your name on the birth certificate, y'know. You signed it, after all, and you and I are gonna raise her—_together_." Caitlin smiled at String, and was relieved when String smiled back at her. _And it wouldn't surprise me if __Saoirse's__ first word is 'Daddy,' and she's lookin' right into those gorgeous eyes of yours when she says it, String,_ Caitlin thought happily. _'Cause I'm not even gonna mention her, sperm donor to her. That's all Sawyer was—a sperm donor—__and __our daughter doesn't need to know about him. _

When Caitlin said, '_You _are the one I think of as Saoirse's father, and daddy, no matter what,' Hawke caught his breath. _You'll never know how much that means to me, Caitlin_, he thought.

"Thanks, Cait," Hawke replied, feeling tears come into his eyes at Caitlin's words—'_You're the only father Saoirse is ever gonna know.' _"I—I really appreciate that. And even given the circumstances, I'm proud that you think of her as my daughter," Hawke said, then added, "I think of her as my daughter, too. And I promise, I'll always think of Saoirse as mine—no matter what." Caitlin smiled and nodded at her husband as she watched him with her daughter. _I mean—__**our **__daughter, _Caitlin thought, choking back tears of joy that formed in her eyes when she heard Hawke say '_I think of her as my daughter, too.__'_ Then she recalled something she'd said a few moments ago, when the labor pains she was feeling were at their worst. _Uh-oh,_ Caitlin thought anxiously. _I better tell String I didn't mean that._

"Um, String," Caitlin said hesitantly, "I—I hope you didn't take what I said a few minutes ago seriously."

"No, Cait, I didn't," Hawke replied, smiling at his wife. "I mean, I know you've got to heal some and all that, but I also knew that what you said was because of the pain you were in. Heck, my mother said a lot worse things to my dad when Saint John and I were both born, or so Dom has told me. I just wish I could have done something to help."

"String," Caitlin said, looking deep into his steel-blue eyes, "knowin' that you love me, and that you love Saoirse, that's all I need. Okay?"

"Okay, Cait," Hawke replied. Then he said, "Y'know, I think she's got your eyes." _Which is a good thing. I'd hate to __have to __look at Cait's—__I mean, __**our—**__daughter __and see Sawyer's eyes for the rest of her life._

Caitlin smiled and said, "I think so, too. Don't worry, String. The next one will have your eyes, I'm sure."

"_The next one?__"_ Hawke said, suddenly interested.

"Well, sure, 'the next one,'" Caitlin said, smiling suggestively at him. "You don't think I want Saoirse to be an only child, do ya?"

"No," Hawke said as he handed Caitlin her child, so he could climb into the small bed with her. "I suppose not." _One of these days, I'm gonna figure out how the heck she does that,_ Hawke thought as he recalled thinking about that very thing only a few moments ago. Hawke smiled at Caitlin as he kicked off his shoes to climb into the small hospital bed, and the three of them cuddled together, Hawke pondering the future.

"String?" Cait asked a moment later.

"Yeah, Cait?" Hawke answered.

"I just wanted to let you know how happy I am that you said you think of Saoirse as your daughter a few minutes ago," she said. "Th-that really meant a lot to me, String. I hope you know that."

"I do know that, Cait," Hawke said, smiling at his wife and child. "Like I said before, even though she's not mine, I love Saoirse just like she was. And, if Dom could raise another man's child, I don't see why I can't," he said, smiling. "Don't worry, Cait. I'll always love Saoirse, just like I'll always love you. And I'll always treat Saoirse just like she was my own daughter. I promise you that," Hawke said.

"Thank you, String," Caitlin whispered through tears of joy that were welling up in her hazel eyes. "And I'll always love you, too. I promise you that," she said, smiling at her husband. _I still can't believe it,_ she thought happily, _String is my husband, and even though she's not his biologically, String is Saoirse's father. And I love him so much, and I always will. My life can't get any better, I swear. _She smiled as she glanced at her daughter, then back up at String, and she sighed happily when String smiled back and gently kissed her cheek.

"Y'know, String," Caitlin said hesitantly, "I never told you this, but when I told you I needed some time to figure out my feelings, I couldn't understand your reaction, or actually, your _lack _of reaction. You just stepped aside and gave me all the time I needed—and I've gotta tell you, I think that's why it didn't take me that long to tell you how I felt, if that makes one lick of sense. But I wanted you to know how much I appreciated the fact that you didn't pressure me," she said, her eyes shining.

"Cait," String said, "I knew that if I did pressure you, it might do more harm than good. I mean, I know how you get sometimes when somebody's bugging you—I've heard it when you've argued with your mother on the phone—and I just figured the best way I could help you with your decision was to step out of the way and make your mind up on your own. With the exception of the flowers, of course," Hawke said as Caitlin smiled at him.

"Well, String, I wanted to tell you that what you did—steppin' out of the way like that—just made me love you all the more than I already do," Caitlin said. "And I'll never forget it. Thank you so much, String. For everything."

"Cait," he replied, "it was my pleasure." Hawke replied as he gently kissed Caitlin's cheek again.

_I don't know what the future holds,_ Hawke thought as he watched Caitlin hold her daughter, _but __I know that __Cait and I'll face it—together._ Then Hawke noticed Caitlin falling asleep, so he took Saoirse for a few more minutes. As he glanced down at Caitlin's baby, he smiled at her, even though he figured she couldn't respond, and murmured, "Don't you worry, Saoirse. Daddy loves you very much, and I always will." Hawke was shocked when Saoirse appeared to smile at him, and he fought a wave of tears as he called for a nurse a few minutes later to take Saoirse to the nursery. _I couldn't hate that sweet little girl,_ Hawke thought, _even knowing who her biological father was. But that doesn't matter, now. As far as I'm concerned, she's my little girl __now__, and that's not going to ever change._ Hawke felt happier than he could recall feeling in a long time, as he felt Caitlin sink into his arms. _I can't believe how things have turned out,_ Hawke thought. _Sometimes, I think Caitlin is the woman I'm supposed to be with. I mean, she, she gets me, like nobody else I've ever known. And now, we're together, forever, _Hawke thought, happier than he could ever recall being as he felt sleep claim him.

As Caitlin watched Hawke with Saoirse before she fell asleep, she knew she'd made the right decision. _Even though __Saoirs__e's not his child, I can already see how much he loves my little girl,_ Caitlin thought, wiping a few stray tears out of her eyes. _And,_ she thought as she stared at her wedding ring, _he thinks of her as his daughter, __just the same way I do__. _Then, Caitlin heard String tell Saoirse, 'Daddy loves you very much, and I always will,' and her heart took flight. _String __said 'Daddy loves you' to my—that is, our—daughter. __Well, so much for me __think__in' my life can't get any better—'cause it just did. What String just said, t__hat just makes me love __him__ even more than I already do—__which I __didn't think was possible. After all, __I already love him with my __whol__e heart, mind, body, and soul_, Caitlin thought, as she felt tears come to her eyes, watching Hawke with Saoirse_. __I still __feel like I'm dreamin'__—but String loves me in spite of everythin__g that happened. __He __loves me, and he __married me even though I __slept with that dirtbag __Sawyer__, and __was __carryin' his__ baby. __And now, String and I are together forever__. The way I always wanted us to be. _

_God? __I know I said I'd never ask for anything else, but could you just do me __**one **__more little favor?__ If I'm dreamin', could you __**please **__not wake me up?_ Caitlin knew that if she woke up and found out that everything that had occurred up until now had been a dream, she wouldn't be able to handle it. She sighed happily as the nurse took Saoirse away to rest in the nursery, and Caitlin felt Hawke pull her closer to his body. She sank into Hawke's arms, her head coming to rest on his chest, one ear directly over his heart. _'Cause I swear, God, right now my__ life can't get any better. __I've got my daughter, and __now, even after everything that happened, __I'm married to the man of my dreams. __My life is absolutely __perfect, _Caitlin thought happily as she realized that she was finally in the place she'd wanted to be since she first saw Stringfellow Hawke—in Hawke's arms, as his wife.

_**THE END.**_

**A/N—**I must confess, I know _nothing _about custody arrangements in a case like this, where the father dies before the child is born. And most of what I've looked up on the Internet hasn't told me a heckuva lot, so if there are errors in what I've written, chalk it up to lack of knowledge and information on my part. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the story anyway, in spite of that—robertwnielsen


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